Prime's Pet
by Prairiefire
Summary: Optimus had something different in mind when he thought about the future partnership between his Autobots and the humans.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Prime's Pet

**Character:** Optimus Prime

**Summary:** Optimus had something different in mind when he thought about the future partnership between his Autobots and the humans.

**Updates:** Irregular. I haven't posted an update in a few years, I have several stories on the go or in the beginning stages and I generally don't know which one is going to take my ponytail and yank when I have time to sit down and work on them.

**Reviews:** Helpful reviews always appreciated and responded to.

**Author's Note:** This is my first published TF fic. I've been a fan since the 80s and nothing beats the original series, but the 2007 movie was great too. This isn't the story I thought I would be publishing first though and it will be more of a diversionary story when I can't work on my main one so I might not be putting as much detail into it as I would the other (which will hopefully be posted soon too). Chapters will be longer.

Enjoy.

**Prologue**

**2014**

The Surge was a failure, at least from the Autobots point of view. As far as the Decepticons were concerned it was a complete success. The humans, thanks to their own communications networks, were no longer able to help the Autobots.

Optimus remembered too well the day Soundwave unleashed the pulsewave that disrupted the electrical patterns in the humans' brains. Initially the 'Bots had thought the effect was local and hoped it would be temporary. He had remained stoic and focused for his mechs' sake, especially Bumblebee's. The scout fretted so much over his human friends Sam and Mikaela. When the reports started coming in from Autobots around the world and stationed on the _Ark_ in orbit about the effects being global Optimus despaired privately. When Ratchet confirmed that the effect would be permanent unless they found a way to reverse it morale bottomed out.

After the Surge, every single human on the planet had been reduced to the intellectual level of chimpanzees. Most humans were unable to fend for themselves, never having had to search for food before. Many lived in areas so overcrowded that there was nothing to forage for. Starvation killed billions in only a few weeks.

The first winter brought another wave of human deaths. Those in northern areas, or areas that experienced subzero temperatures, who had been resourceful enough to find food throughout the summer froze to death as the winter turned cold. There was no warm shelter for them to retreat to, no fur to shield them from the frozen air.

In the span of a few months a thriving population of over six billion sentients had been reduced to a few million. Those left eked out a meager existence in isolated pockets driven solely but under-developed instincts. There were few privileged enough, lucky really, to have been with an Autobot when the Surge was set off. These were the members of NEST.

There were just too many to help and the Autobots could not spare anymore than they had already. During that time the Decepticons had pressed them hard. Had not reinforcements arrived it looked like the Autobots would have been forced off Earth, allowing the 'Cons to wreak whatever havoc they wanted on it. Research projects were set up to find a way to reverse the effect but were necessarily a secondary priority.

Not to long after the Surge the 'Cons gave up, Earth's original usefulness gone. There was a limited amount of processed energy available and the cost-benefit ration was too high. They may have come back when they could have more easily defeated the remaining resistance but just 6 years after wiping out organic intelligence on Earth the 'Cons retreated to find better fortune elsewhere. Without workers and maintenance coal power plants burned, dams broke down and collapsed, nuclear power plants went critical. It was these last that drew the most attention as the 'Bots raced to decommission hundreds of them the world over before they caused irreparable damage to the atmosphere. This happening before the hope that humans would return to what they once were was lost.

The humans that remained in the care of the 'Bots were protected and provided for in the hopes that one day the effects could be reversed. There was also the hope that the next generation would not be affected, but when Sam and Mikaela's first child was born those hopes were dashed. While Mikaela was a devoted mother and Sam a doting father, their little girl never was able to reason or speak.

It was six years after the Surge, four years after the 'Cons had left that Optimus had to make another incredibly hard decision. Word reached Earth that the remaining 'Cons had found a source of energy that could restore Cybertron. As much as he wanted to stay on Earth and fix what had gone wrong he knew that he had a greater obligation to the galaxy as a whole. Not even Earth would be safe if Megatron secured that kind of power source.

Leaving only a few scientists and a security detail behind, the rest of his mechs converged on the planetoid housing this energy source. The battle was vicious and thorough. The Autobots hit hard and never let up. In the end every Decepticon officer was dead and accounted for. The energon source turned out to be a long forgotten Sun Harvester. How Megatron planned to activate it without the Matrix, Optimus did not know or care.

With the chance to restore Cybertron without destroying a civilization there was no choice. The Autobots were finally going to be going home. That did not mean, however, that the humans would be abandoned.

A plan was devised and the _Ark_, appropriately named, would be fitted to house a sample population of humans, enough to maintain genetic diversity for several generations. They would be transported to Cybertron and there they would establish a conservation project. Research would continue of course, but in the mean time the species would be preserved.

It was the only thing that the Autobots could do after the humans sacrificed so much to help them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Transformers franchise nor do I make any money from this work of fiction.

**Notes:** First off, I have no beta reader for this story so if I have missed any spelling/grammar errors please let me know. Second, I do respond to reviews but they must be signed.

**Chapter 1**

Elita-One had finally talked him into it. Well, not so much talked as just started hauling him the way she wanted him to go. Optimus had tried to explain his reasons to her but she would not be dissuaded. She was convinced he needed a companion, a pet, to keep him company during the long hours spent in his office. It was not that he didn't have enough work to do. Rebuilding a civilization generated a lot of work, and even more paperwork, nor was it because he had no one to talk to. There were mechs passing in and out of his office all day long, meetings to attend and communiqués to answer.

He was withdrawn. That was the word she used. Withdrawn. Of course, Ratchet and Ironhide had agreed with her. Both of them had been nagging him to come out and socialize every so often. Working hard was not being withdrawn he had argued, it was being busy. He also pointed out that both of them should know about that. They had all seen through that argument and now Elita was leading him into a building he had avoided since it had been built over a thousand years ago.

Dutifully, if not enthusiastically, Optimus followed his bonded into the breeding facility. The building represented a failure he could never forgive himself for, its inhabitants a living reminder of a broken promise. Elita did not understand this. She had never been to Earth, had never seen a human before the Surge. Her only experience with humans had been with the ones that had been brought aboard the _Ark._ She knew they had once been intelligent beings but she had only _seen_ them as charming little pets. Her view of them was echoed by most of the mechs that had arrived after the Surge and all of those sparked after Cybertron's restoration.

The human population had spent several generations in this building before there was a suitable atmosphere established on the planet. This huge building took up nearly a quarter of the area Iacon once stood. Several thousand humans had spent their entire lives here, living in small groups, overseen by the Human Affairs Committee. The Committee decided on anything that concerned the humans. Issues ranged from who lived in which enclosure, who bred who, and if a mech was responsible enough to rehome a human with.

Rehoming had become popular, a novelty for those who could qualify. Adults of various ages who showed an affinity for the company of Cybertronians would be released to a bot. Such humans were often disqualified from or unneeded for breeding for one reason or another. Reportedly, though, they proved to be excellent companions and not having them at the central facility enabled the caretakers to devote more time and attention to the remaining residents. Thus far, several hundred were living outside the Sanctuary as pets.

Optimus stood in a waiting room now, watching a volunteer play with a group of young males. He knew the bot, Beachcomber, and was not surprised to see him spending time with the humans. He and Elita did not wait long before one the caretakers arrived to escort them to a meeting room. In light of whom Optimus was and his history he was already approved to take care of a human. Elita volunteered enough at the center to know how to care for a human as well, so the review of basic care was keep to a minimum.

The meeting room they were led to was lined with glass-fronted cages on one wall. The sight of them made Optimus' spark clench and his vents shudder. It never stopped hurting seeing a being reduced to this. It did not matter that this cage, the huge familial enclosures, or the one that sat waiting in his office, were state of the art providing for all their residents physical needs. They should never have been necessary.

Currently there were ten humans available and the caretaker, Groove, was cheerfully reviewing the first nine files. These ones were Cybertron born, eight males and one female. They were a fairly homogenous group, typical of a group bred and raised in the same sector. All had light brown hair and dark colored eyes. Each was also very outgoing, calling in high-pitched attention cries and dancing at the front of their enclosures for attention. All were fit and well fed though their light colored skin was a bit too pale from what Optimus remembered.

Any one of the nine would have been an acceptable companion and would have fairly easily integrated into Optimus routine. Still, he requested the last file, being as thorough with this task as he was with all others. The file was attached to the cage of the only human not begging for attention though she was not being inattentive to the large mechs in the room outside her cage.

Groove's optics dimmed a little in disappointment and he hesitated to hand over the file. Optimus was going to ask what was wrong when Elita spoke up. She had, with her characteristic speed and efficiency, already read through the file.

"Why would an import be available? Wasn't she brought in to be bred from?"

"Typically she would have been," Groove answered. "But she's not typical. It appears she was brought in for a breeding program, but she wasn't legally imported."

"What do you mean, legally?" Optimus as perturbed, he held the humans in reverence for what they had sacrificed to help the Autobots. The thought that not all his people did the same did not sit well with him.

"She was confiscated with several others from an unauthorized establishment. There were a few of the manifests left on data pads when we got there, but the main computers had been purged," Groove couldn't quit keep the disgust from his voice. "The conditions were not good." He shifted and shot a worried glance at the quiet cage. "She's a special case, that's for sure."

"How so?" Optimus asked as he leaned in. He would address later why he wasn't informed of this raid. Turning back he skimmed the file noting the mentions of aggression and "solitary" in the behavior notes. Medically she was fairly healthy though undernourished and apparently still recovering. She was still not eating well and the notes said she had to be force fed several times since she had arrived. The notes also indicated she ate more readily after each time. In all, her file read very differently than the others.

Elita knew it before Optimus even said it. "Let me see her please." Yes, Elita thought, always a soft spark for the hard luck cases.

"S-sir, are you sure," Groove asked from where he froze. "She's really not what most look for in a pet. Any of the others would be a fine choice."

Patient as ever, Optimus countered, "True, but how many qualified mechs are going to give her a chance? How much longer will she sit in that cage waiting? The file says she has been available for 4 months." Optimus stated each of these points calmly and steadily. While Elita had been needling him to come down here she had pointed out that most humans that became available were spoken for and matched in only a couple days. There should have been no reason for her to still be sitting there alone.

Just as well as Elita knew it, Optimus knew he wanted to take this human. If anyone asked he would freely admit that he did feel sorry for her and that she was only there because of his failure. A life as a pet was hardly comparable to living a free life as in intelligent being but he would give her the best he could provide.

Groove nodded his head, "Valid points sir but you need to know, she's not tame at all. She won't let you hold her and she's going to need a LOT of training and handling."

"It says in her file that she's been here for almost 8 months. You haven't done any socialization or training," Elita asked before Optimus could.

"We've been trying and she is getting better around mechs who don't make sudden moves. There have just been times that we have had to handle her and it has frightened her. She was completely wild when we got her." Groove remembered how upset his brother, First Aid, got over this case. The gentle bot only wanted to ease the pain and suffering around him and this human wouldn't let him near without a fight. "She hadn't had any good experiences with mechs before coming here, and being force handled here hasn't helped. Each subsequent time it's been harder on her."

"You mean when she was force fed," Elita forged ahead asking questions as Optimus moved over to the bank of cages. Each was twenty feet by twenty feet and was fifteen feet in height. They were filled with puzzles, climbing structures and ropes as well as bedding. Three of them held two humans who cavorted together to gain his attention as he approached. Of the other two one contained three males engaged in an animated wresting match, the other held the single female.

Groove was behind Optimus, explaining the malnourished condition the girl arrived in and how stress affects humans' sympathetic nervous systems, when Optimus turned to him.

"Why is she alone? The guidelines clearly state that humans are highly social and require contact with others."

Turning to him Groove continued, "Yes sir, but she never integrated into any of the family groups we introduced her too. She'd ignore and avoid the other females and outright attack any male that approached her." Groove shrugged. "Its not just Cybertronians she is aggressive with. Normally, getting an import would mean a new bloodline but she won't let a male near enough to court her, never mind breed. Primus knows what was done to her but she doesn't trust anyone."

"Hmm," Optimus turned back to the cage. The girl inside lay in a crawl tunnel, a blanket pulled over her shoulders. As he watched her, she stared balefully back at him. He could see the fear lurking in her eyes, shaded by a stubbornness he has seen in humans he had worked with in NEST. "A lonely life, little one," Optimus rumbled, as he brought his hand up to the glass. Organic eyes shifted to the blue servo that dwarfed her entire body before moving back to his optics.

The scrutiny lasted a few moments before Elita moved up next to him for a closer look. The human slid her gaze to the smaller femme before backing further into her sanctuary, intimidated by being outnumbered as well as outsized. Crouching down to bring optics level with the cage's occupant, she tried to comfort the human, "Oh don't be like that, no one's going to hurt you here."

"Don't worry ma'am. She's like that with all strangers, she'll come out eventually," Groove offered. "She is painfully shy, but like every human, curiosity will bring her around if you let her come out on her own. Just don't expect it to be soon, or that she will run up to you when she does."

Groove came over and unlocked the door, pulling it open to let Optimus reach in. Elita stepped back, allowing him to meet his new human alone. Groove watched anxiously, worried that something would happen that would cost the girl a qualified and caring home.

Optimus carefully extended his hand again and placed it on the cage floor, palm up, before the entrance to the tunnel. The girl stayed inside, body tense and eyes staring at the large hand before her. He murmured reassurance while he stayed perfectly still. She didn't crawl into his hand as Sam and Mikayla had done so many times, nor did she reach out to explore the new thing in her space. She stayed still, breathe quickening at first then slowing again while she watched him intently and guarded.

Optimus slowly pulled his hand away after a few minutes and nodded to Groove to close the door again. He was confident now that this was the one he would be taking home. She had not retreated further, had not panicked at his nearness. She was obviously scared but held it together and recovered fairly quickly.

"What paper work needs to be completed," Optimus asked once Groove had made sure the lock was secure.

"There's a dietary review and health protocols to go through. Not much. All her medical work is up to date, I just have to let you know when her exams are scheduled." Now Groove allowed himself to get excited. His misfit human, so depressed, stuck in cage after cage, would finally get a stable home. He knew all the different mechs and humans she was pushed together with were taking their own toll on her. The one thing he had disagreed with the rest of his co-workers on was her need to build one trust at a time. They insisted that she needed to accept any mech that needed or wished to handle her, and that she learn this as fast as possible.

The parade of different mechs and femmes had forced her to deal with strangers once she was in their hands, usually by freezing until put back down again. The psychology texts called this learned helplessness, an extreme reaction by creatures placed under stress that through their own actions can not alleviate. It was most often documented in abuse cases from before the Surge. The flooding practices had not helped her to calmly accept being picked up. She still tried to run, hide and fight if someone tried to grab her. These reactions had gotten worse with each handling session.

With any luck, Groove thought, having to deal with only one mech at a time would pull her out of her shell. He carefully explained this theory to both Optimus and Elita, also mentioning that it had not been favored by the HAC.

"Humans are as varied in personality as we are. That is why the guidelines are just that, guidelines," Optimus rumbled. "None of them are made from the same mold."

"So true," Groove sympathized.

They continued to discuss training theory and desensitization techniques before reviewing nutritional requirements. These were straight forward as most food was preprocessed and nutritionally balanced. Fresh plants could be provided occasionally for variety. If fed meals Groove advised to offer fresh food regularly, usually every six hours or so. However, Groove did tell them that food filled puzzle toys could be entertaining.

Lastly, Groove reminded Optimus about the next medical appointment and had him sign all the pertinent documentation.

By now the humans in the first four cages had moved back, bored with the mechs not giving them any attention. Only one set of eyes scrutinized the beings on the other side of the glass. Optimus' gaze kept catching hers during the review and each time Groove grinned a little more. The human girl had worked her way up to the door while the mechs sat at the desk and now looked more relaxed.

"We are being watched," Optimus quietly informed Elita. She peeked around his bulk and sent her amusement over their bond.

"There's no 'we' about it. She's watching you, love," Elita said.

"She watches everything," Grove told them. "There's not much else to do when you won't play with anyone. Still," he said with a quick glance to the enclosure, "it's better than hiding."

"You know, this may actually be a better match than those other humans. She doesn't seem like she's going to demand attention like the others. That might work out better when you have a lot of work to concentrate on," Elita pointed out.

"Perhaps, but she will need a lot of attention, whether she demands it or not," Optimus told her. He turned to Groove, "I would like to get her home and settled soon though."

"Of course sir," Groove nodded. "I'll just get her into a transport." Groove pulled a steel box from a storage cabinet and walked over the bank of cages.

Optimus watched pensively as Groove opened the door of the transport carrier and the cage. The human in the cage whined as she tried to escape farther back in the enclosure. She tried to dive back into the tunnel she ha recently emerged from when one of Groove's arms blocked her escape. The arm also created a funnel to the box he had placed farther back. With his other hand he gently herded her toward the waiting opening.

Inch by inch the little organic was pushed back into the box and the door was closed on her. The barred section of the door that allowed air to flow in also allowed a quiet keen to be heard from within. Ever empathetic, Groove crooned to the box's occupant as he lifted it and carried it to the desk. "It's ok little one. You'll be fine."

Groove carefully handed the carrier over to Optimus, mindful not to tip it and throw the occupant off balance. Tentatively Optimus accepted it and tucked it under one arm. He and Elita bid Groove goodbye and made their way out of the building. In the approach from the road he transformed down into his Cybertronian transport mode and had Elita secure the carrier in his cargo area. Once done she also folded down into her own alt-mode and followed him into the traffic flow.

"So," Elita said as they neared the Tower. "Do you have a name for her yet?"

Optimus continued down the road silently for a moment before responding, "I believe I do."


End file.
